The Soccer Match
by deserts
Summary: My first finished TATE. What a simple soccer match can lead to... I'm in Twilight denial.


**The Soccer Match**

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A/N: This is my tribute to the soccer world championship which started yesterday. (Germany won against Costa Rica with 4:2, but I want Italy to become world champion. _-grins-_) I wrote this (by the way, it's my first _finished_ tate) in the middle of the night (literally) and it wasn't beta-d, so I guess the language isn't really good, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless. Please review! Thanks, _Isa_ aka _tate4ever_

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**The Soccer Match **

Kate's car came to a halt in front of Tony's building. Tony had invited her, Abby and McGee to watch the soccer match USA versus Italy on his plasma TV set. They all weren't into soccer that much, but it seemed a nice idea, spending some time together _not_ working.

Kate was the first to arrive at Tony's place. She took the elevator to the third floor and knocked twice.

He shouted "Be right there!", then suddenly a loud thud could be heard, followed by a curse. As soon as he opened the door, she smiled and asked nonchalantly:

"Did you keel over or what?"

He poked his tongue out at her and answered:

"No, I did _not_. I dropped one of the beer bottles and it fell on my foot."

"A little weak today, aren't we?"

Their banter was even more fun outside the office, especially when there was no Gibbs to stop them.

He let her in and she immediately started admiring his apartment. It was different from what she'd expected, neat and actually really nice.

"So you did clean up your place before we all arrived, that's good to see."

He decided to make no reply, but instead offered her a beer and signed her to sit down while he went into the kitchen to fetch the chips and dips.

When he was sitting on the sofa as well, his phone started ringing.

"DiNozzo"

_"Hey Tony, it's Tim. _-cough-_ I'm sorry, but _-cough- -cough- _I can't come tonight. I've got the _-sneeze-_ flu."_

"Oh, well then stay at your place so you don't infect us!"

_"I will. _-cough-_ Have fun guys!"_

With a "Thanks Probie", Tony hung up.

Kate lifted one of her eyebrows questioningly.

"McGeek came down with the flu."

"Oh no! The first time we decide to do something outside work and he gets sick..."

Suddenly Kate's cell rang.

"Yeah?"

_"Kate, it's me. I've got to cancel out meeting tonight. I have a date."_

"With who?"

_"Oh... well... you don't know him! Bye Kate!"_

Kate pressed the red button on her cell and told Tony Abby wouldn't be coming either.

"Well I guess that leaves just the two of us, right Katie?"

Tony waggled his eyebrows suggestively and Kate punched his arm in response.

"So, when does the match start?" she asked.

After a quick look to the clock, he answered.

"In exactly seven minutes."

She laughed at his accuracy.

"I didn't know you were such a soccer fan?"

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me. But no, I'm not a real 'fan', I just _have_ to watch this game."

"Let me guess... You want Italy to win, right?"

"Of course! They are the best soccer team on the planet!"

"I like the US-team better" Kate teased.

Tony smirked at the opportunity to twit her a little.

"Well then... Who do you think is the MVP of the US-team?"

She looked slightly shocked, which made him laugh out loud.

"Admit it, you have not a clue about soccer!"

She tried to glare at him but somehow failed and started laughing herself.

"What the hell is a MVP?" she finally managed to ask.

"It stands for 'most valuable player'."

"Right."

She still had no idea, she couldn't name one of the players, let alone explain the rules or anything. Tony had known that from the beginning and now decided to teach her something about soccer.

"Alright. These..." He handed her 'The Football's Guide', a British magazine about soccer, "...are the American players. And when you turn over the page, there is the Italian team."

She looked at the pictures for a moment and read the names of the players. She would be able to recall some of them later, but never all of them.

"Okay, the purpose of the game" he explained, "is to get the ball into the goal as often as possible."

She nodded.

"One match is divided into two parts, 45 minutes each. That's about it. The more difficult rules I'll explain to you later."

She agreed because the match was just about to start.

Ten minutes into the game, Italy had almost scored a goal, but the US keeper had caught the ball a few inches in front of the goal line. Tony whined and shouted at the players in Italian.

Kate started to like soccer, but what she found all the more interesting was watching his reactions.

As the first half was over, Tony muted the TV and turned to her.

"You like it?"

"Yeah, actually I do."

"Great" he smiled and got up heading for the kitchen.

"Do you want some more beer? Or Coke? Or coffee?" he asked with a wink.

"Coke would be great."

He brought her a glass and poured himself one as well. Kate wanted to know why he had taken to soccer.

"I guess it's a family thing. In Europe, soccer is the favourite kind of sport for people to watch. My family in Italy is really fanatic about it, they never miss a game."

Kate smiled and took another sip of her Coke.

The second part of the game started and they spent the following 45 minutes in silence - well almost. Time and again, Tony jumped up and shouted something at the screen. Kate burst out laughing each time because the sight was just hilarious.

Three minutes before the end of the match, the score was still 2:2, which drove Tony crazy. The game had to continue with penalty shootout. Five shots each team.

The USA started off with a goal, followed by the Italian team which tied the score.

The next was another goal for the USA, but Italy didn't hit this time.

In the third round, nobody scored.

The fourth was again no goal for the USA whereas Italy evened out again.

It was the fifth round that would decide who was the winner. But if it was tie again, they would have to do five more penalty shootout rounds.

One of the US players ran off and hit the ball really hard to speed it up. The Italian goalkeeper was absolutely concentrated, his eyes following the route of the ball. He jumped up, stretched his arms as wide as possible and... caught the ball!

When he landed on the ground again, he twisted his knee and fell over. The team's doctor was at his side instantly and examined the knee. After a few minutes, he signed the coach it was no use, they would have to replace the goalkeeper.

The Italian players and fans knew that could be the end. But they still had this one chance at glory.

Italy's MVP went to the ball as the whole stadium became quiet. Everybody seemed to have stopped breathing.

The US goalkeeper had a determined look upon his face, he would try anything to not let the ball through. But also the Italians where determined to win and so the shot was made.

Time seemed to stand still from the second on the ball went up into the air.

It flew eleven metres, watched by millions of people, over the green grass of the stadium ground, through the hands of the goalkeeper right into the net.

Everybody screamed. The Italian fans had jumped out of their seats and shouted and applauded. As had Tony the very moment the ball had reached its target.

Kate grinned as she watched him bouncing happily through his apartment. Suddenly he took her hands in his and dragged her up from the couch to join him. She laughed out loud but soon found herself enjoying the victory as well.

Kate was thrown off balance and landed on the sofa again, Tony right on top of her, both laughing hysterically.

She didn't know how it had started, but all of a sudden his mouth was on hers, their lips meeting in the most earth shattering kiss in the history of mankind. They both savoured their first kiss, knowing by the way they melted together it would definitely not be their last.

When they finally had to break apart to fill their lungs with oxygen again, Tony stated casually:

"So, I guess you like soccer now."

She just smiled and pulled him down for another kiss. This was absolutely not the time to talk about soccer!

**FIN**

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A/N: Okay, it wasn't the best story to start my histoy of tate with, but the idea came to me while I was watching the match Germany vs Costa Rica and I just had to write it down. The next one will be better, I promise. 

Actually it should have been some McAbby in there, too, with McGee not being ill and Abby being with _him _(as her date), but then somehow I had the story finished without it and it didn't fit anymore.

Hope you liked it! Yours, Isa


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